We are very proud to present this year's edition of the Styleforum Holiday Charity Auctions, this year in support of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane (www.rmhcspokane.org). Each Auction lasts 24 hours. Please follow and bid on all the auctions.

The 6th auction of the year is for a nylon MA-1 from Falcon garments. Please bid often and generously here

This week's wine activities. Too much, actually. Oh! Taking a week off. Some great dinner parties at friends and a wine and cheese at my place.

The highlight was the Bosquets Gig. A superb example of a Gig -- minerality and fruit in harmony. Lots of flavour, great nose, sophistication and long, succulent finish. The dog of the week was from Chile. A horror of a Cab. Thin, hot, and full of cheap, blowsy alcohol. A crack whore of a wine. Even worse than the Pelee Island fruit mega bomb. The Meiomi was a very intersting Pinot. Like melted chocolate, velvet and cream. Not my fav type, but definitely kept the interest.

"I have enjoyed great health at a great age because everyday since I can remember I have consumed a bottle of wine except when I have not felt well. Then I have consumed two bottles." Attributed to a Bishop of Seville

I was working some lower shelf Washington State wines last weekend:
Revelry Vintners The Reveler, a reverse Bdx blend, interesting idea but just meh, and a
Buty Wildebeast which was just really good; a name like that you are expecting a big wine, but it was more elegant and playful.

Early last year I picked up 14 bottles of Burgess Library Cab in '95-'97 vintages from wtso. Very nice aged Cali Cab that several of us on here were able to snag in the $20-$25 a bottle range (retail on their website is $50+). Gave away a few bottles, but have really enjoyed them for the most part. I think that of the three, the '95 vintage was definitely my favorite, followed by the '96.

Last night I opened my next-to-last bottle (a '96). Have one of those puppies left. I'll be sad when it's gone. Will be hard to replace at that price.